The summer has flown by and another exciting season awaits. This year's team, 23 men and 23 women, started training on September 7 in preparation for the 2005-2006 swimming and diving campaign.

Enclosed is our competition schedule and a schedule card. We hope to see you at UIC or on the road. The 2006 Horizon League Championships will be held at Cleveland State University. Last season, we continued to play the role as Horizon League spoiler as the women's team finished in fourth place with the highest point total since 1999 while the men's team finished in third placed, the highest finish since 1994. In addition, we set 14 school records, eight men's and six women's.

Please hold January 28, 2006 on your social calendar. We would like to invite all swimming and diving alumni to a social at the conclusion of our meet against Iowa. The location will be announced at a later date and will, most likely, be held at a local restaurant. The Chicago Masters Swim Club will also be invited. We will send more information in the future.

With the leadership of captains Kris Simos, Ari Bernstein, Mark Pappalardo, Laura Martensen, Emily Biancalana, Caitlin Carey, a talented group of returning athletes, and a solid freshman class, we feel confident about the season. You can follow the results, as well as all of UIC athletics news, on our web page, uicflames.com.

We hope you share our commitment to make UIC Swimming & Diving one of the elite teams in the Horizon League. We are making progress, but a great deal of work remains. If you can help in any way, please let us know. If you wish to make a donation, please make checks payable to UIC (Men's or Women's) Swimming & Diving and send it to the address below.

UIC Athletics (MC 195)
c/o Paul Moniak
839 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608

See you at the pool.

Sincerely,